One of the shorter trips out-of-town is Oak Park, which is nine miles west of downtown. There’s the birthplace and home of Ernest Hemingway (details above) as well as Frank Lloyd Wright’s home. It’s about a half-hour drive on the Eisenhower or take the Metra train.
Harbor County in Michigan, a 75-minute drive from Chicago, has antiques, farmers’ markets, art fairs and festivals as well as many wineries. For the outdoor types, there’s also camping, canoeing and hiking.
Located 75 miles north-west of Chicago, Lake Geneva in Wisconsin provides a year-round escape from hectic city life and is a short day trip or great weekend destination. The clear waters of the lake are surrounded by historic mansions, marinas and resorts. There’s boating, hiking, golf, tennis and horse-riding, with skiing and skating in the winter.
Ravinia Park in Highland Park, Illinois (north of Chicago), is best known as the site of the Ravinia Festival , a series of outdoor concerts held every summer from June to September. It’s been the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1906. Details of concerts, tickets, maps etc on www.ravinia.org. Take the word of a Chicagoean who goes every year: “It’s peaceful, serene … a little slice of heaven.”
